


When you're in love... You wake up a little happier in the morning.

by multifandom_trash (orion_leo)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Merthur - Freeform, arthur realises his feelings, i suck at this help me, merthur fluff, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24423010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orion_leo/pseuds/multifandom_trash
Summary: After Merlin is injured and left unable to assist and tend to Arthur in the morning with his routine, The Prince of Camelot is forced not only to make his own breakfast, but confront his feelings aswell.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 87





	When you're in love... You wake up a little happier in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThatOneSmolFangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneSmolFangirl/gifts), [drarrydarling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drarrydarling/gifts).



> Okay so Hiii!!. This is my first ever time writing a fanfiction and I thought merthur would be great choice. First of all thank you for actually still being here, i really hope you enjoy this and second of all, i got the idea to write through an AMAZING POST ON INSTAGRAM by @auctionoffmysoul. She is really sweet and her ao3 account is 'ThatOneSmolFangirl'. She is a wonderful writer and if you like merthur or are even part of the merlin fandom you really should follow her on instagram. her posts are lovely. Also A HUGE HUGE THANK YOU to 'wantyourbadromance' (this is her ao3) for this absolutely amazing summary. If you like drarry ( Draco Malfoy X Harry Potter ) , you should totally follow her insatagram account @drarry.darling .

Every morning since merlin had the misfortune to become the manservant of the arrogant prat, he has to wake up early, get that clotpole’s breakfast and wake him up. "That lazy idiot" merlin thinks outloud. It’s never him who gets to rest. No matter what happens and how badly merlin is hurt and in pain he has to wake up and get Arthur ready. He’s used to it. He has to accept it. There’s no way out, since apparently pRoTEctINg aRtHUr iS hIS dEstINy and he can do nothing about it. It’s not like waking him up and hearing Arthur's scarthy and deep morning voice sends shivers down his spine or when he takes the sheets off and leaves Arthur exposed waist up and no matter how many times he does it, his heartbeat gets insanely fast and he’s not sure if it’s healthy.

Caring and protecting for Arthur has become a part of his life. Extremely diotic to say, Arthur has become his life. Waking him up, getting him ready, going to training with him, polishing his armor, getting him his food, listening to his constant ramble about how Uther is a tyrant, leaving him to his room at night and the same routine over again. He would never dare say it aloud but he would be more than happy sticking with this routine for the rest of his life than changing anything,but a question that always surfaces his mind at nights is would Arthur want it? Would he ever get tired of Merlin? Would he wake up one day and wish to remove merlin of his duties? Merlin hopes, scratch that actually yearns that Arthur would never get tired of him and get rid of him. Merlin wouldn’t know what to do with himself if that happened. That thought of not seeing Arthur everyday pains him more than any burn, scar or stab. It is simply and excrutuatingly brutal

So when merlin gets horribly wounded by a meddling goon of Saxons while fighting and tryingt to save Arthur's life (again) he couldn’t even move. Those fuckers really did up their game this time. As he laid down on his bed at the break of dawn, he highly doubted that he would be able to get up early to wake Arthur and he didn’t want that. He did not not want to be the first person Arthur sees in the morning but the scars ran deep and the blood was barely contained by his bandages. Throwing a new shirt over ,he thinks of staying up but he was in horrible pain and before he knew he went off to sleep thinking of how pissed off Arthur would be in the morning if his manservant didn’t wake him up and have his armor polished and ready.

Well and that happened, he didn’t wake up himself and he doesn't wake up Arthur and when the prince wakes up the first thing he’s met with is an empty cold room with the curtains drawn and no breakfast. NO BREAKFAST. He always knew merlin liked to keep him on a diet but _entirely skipping his meal_? that’s atrocious, unacceptable. Arthur would not tolerate this.

"Merlin? Merlin, you git. Where are you?".

“Merlin? this is not amusing on any level. Stop playing and come out. “

Utter silence.

“Are you hiding in the closet? Get out of it, this instant Merlin”

“Meeeeeeeerrrliiiiiiiinnn”

“Merlin” he grits out. “Come out of wherever you are hiding before I have you thrown in the dungeons”

No use. 

He’s met with silence as the only sound except for his ragged breathing.

Arthur is confused. Very confused. It’s very late and merlin is never late, he should have been here ages ago. He was mad alright. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was an exaggerated prank or something genuinly had happened to merlin. He had to fetch his clothes and GET READY HIMSELF. The cruelty endured by Arthur , nbelievable. So he gets up, goes to Gaius only to be told merlin is really sick and tired. Of course the ~~gay~~ panic starts to show and he hurries off to merlin’s room only to find him sweating heavily and shivering. He takes a quick glance around the room and observes its messy condition. He ponders on waking him up but decides against it, thinking his man servant deserves a rest.

So Prince Arthur yes, the prince himself. Gets breakfast for merlin in the kitchen leaving everyone with their Jaws hanging on the floor, literally. Doesn't tell the knights or Gwen or Morgana, since he wants his time alone with merlin. He knows if they come along he won't be able to take care properly and he wanted to be the their when merlin wakes up, just like merlin is there for Arthur every morning. He sets the breakfast on the table, takes the sheets off merlin and wipes the sweat of his forehead. Minutes pass with Arthur just admiring merlin, truly he is a beauty and Arthur is really tempted to pass his hair through those raven locks but doesn't know why he wants to do that. Is it because he cares for merlin? As a friend? No that's not possible, he's a prince and merlin is well, an idiotic man servant. Well a brave man servant actually, but still idiotic.

Funny thing is Arthur's mind is focused on merlin being an idiot as the reason why they aren't friends, it didn't focus on the class difference. His subconscious let it be, he didn't want to overthink, at least not this time, not with merlin by his side. He'll sort his feelings out. He's lost in his mental war of does he consider merlin as a friend when suddenly merlin jerks in his sleep and writhers, Arthur panicking gets up to call Gaius but remembers, he's gone to a nearby village for some ingredients. He doesn't know what to do. He never paid attention to whatever Gaius had told him about health or sickness. He picks up the towel he brought with him, wets in and wipes the sweat off merlin’s forehead and face with it. Merlin does jerk at the contact but soon relaxes into the rough but caring touch.

Arthur really needs to work on self-control since his hand, apparently has a mind of its own and makes its way to merlin’s hair, settling there. He feels the dampness, the sweat, the droplets of water, but that doesn't faze him. He isn't disgusted, he actually has a grin forming on his face, his shoulders relaxing. His hand stays there for a moment while he questions if he should comb merlin’s hair. He would need to have a great explanation if someone walked in, or worse merlin woke up, but that hair is just so tempting. At the end consequences be dammed Arthur thinks, he's the prince of Camelot, he doesn't need to answer to the likes of others. Well except merlin for some apparent reason. So, he starts with feather light touches at first, just barely moving and grazing his hair. The ease in merlin’s breathing doesn't go unnoticed by Arthur and he takes it as a hint to get bolder, so he does. He makes full stokes now. No longer petting. He's admiring more than combing actually. How his hair frames his head, and how it is in stark comparison to his pale skin.

He lets his gaze wonder beneath to see merlin’s face. that was a mistake, seriously that was a mistake. Arthur thinks of himself as a mistake but this is the biggest mistake he's ever made. Merlin looked ethereal. His eyelashes fanning over his closed eyes and his high cheekbones contouring his face. His cheeks were pale, too pale but his lips. They were soft and thin and inviting. It was horrible to have a such a temptation be dangled in front of him and he couldn't relish it, after all what excuse would he give to merlin as to why he was pressing his lips to merlin’s and had one hand petting his hair. Nope. No matter how tempted he was, he would absolutely not be kissing merlin. He's merlin. Why would Arthur ever want to kiss him? Never in a million years would he want to…. Why would he-

Oh well never mind, question answered, because merlin just happened to groan a little in his not so deep slumber and Arthur swore if he weren't prince of Camelot he would have merlin here and now. But he's the prince, that would never be acceptable. Only if he weren’t the prince Arthur thinks. Merlin started to stir again as the combing of hair stopped and his hand was trembling. Slightly, but trembling. Almost as if on impulse his free hand went to grab merlin’s but he was quick to retreat it. He couldn't. He just couldn't. Why? Because he was a prince. Of course that's what he thought but something inside of him spoke up _'you're a coward who's afraid to admit his feelings Arthur'_. That was not true, at all. That's really not, how could he, I mean there's no absolute way he, never in billion years would Arthur. That is insane, absolutely insane, no there is no way that he could… he could. Like merlin. They’re juts friends, that’s it, he can’t like merli- oh to hell with is Arthur thought. If he wants to confess and get it off his chest he can do it now, when merlin is asleep and he doesn’t embarrass himself.

"I like you okay? I have for a long time and... And I don't know what to do and in the name of Camelot I absolutely despise you merlin, why do you have to be such an idiot- “

His nonstop rambling was interrupted by a shift in merlin’s movement. Arthur's breath hitched. He's dead, yep he's dead. Oh he's so dead. Might as well leave and escape Camelot. He's Doomed, leave build a farm have horses and, never look back. Have kids and sweet lord, his train of thoughts approached a halt as merlin shifted again on the bed and laid with his back to Arthur. He was on his side, and Arthur's hand form his hair fell. He missed it. Missed the soft and damp feeling of merlin’s velvety hair. He wanted desperately to feel it again but he was scared. He admitted he was. What would he say to merlin?

_ Oh, hi merlin I just thought that I would stop by with breakfast and comb your hair and stare at you lovingly while I think of how beautiful you are? _

Well fuck it the pendragon argued with himself, he got up, put one knee on the bed and peered over merlin to watch if he's awake, which he was ~~thankfully~~ not, and climbed fully into bed with him. Now you see the bed was small and he really had to get close to merlin in order for them to not fall off and get hurt, and of course that was the sole reason he thought of cuddling with merlin and not totally because of how desperately he wanted physical contact with the man who had been his shameless day dreaming material (that’s a story for another time).

With every last ounce of courage left within him and a prayer to the gods above he laid down and snaked his right arm underneath merlin’s slim torso pulling him closer and placed his other hand again in merlin’s hair combing it. They were in bed. Together. Merlin and Arthur, in bed, in merlin’s bed. They were cuddling, in merlin’s bed. _Together._ Prince Arthur of Camelot was cuddling his sick man servant merlin in his bed.

"oh fuck me” Arthur groaned, he's so dead its literally not even funny now. He was worried, he thought of leaving, leaving and pretending nothing ever happened and just continue with their lives and hide his pathetic crush and take it to his grave but Of course merlin is an idiot and he just _had to press_ into Arthur's touch. He had to arch his back and he had to mewl softly. He just had to question Arthur and upstage him. He always had to challenge and frankly that’s what turned him on. The sheer audacity of a servant boy to challenge the prince himself.

Well Arthur never turned down from a challenge and in heat of the moment, with merlin’s slightly erotic movements, he tugged him closer, threw his left leg to entrap both of marlins and hooked his chin on merlin’s shoulder. He thought he'd leave after a while to sort things out you know. He'd leave after he's satisfied but truth be told he's never satisfied, no matter how much time he spends with Merlin he's left wanting more and more and it's slowly killing him that merlin may never be his. He’s a soon to be king, he has duties, he can’t marry out of his heart. He would sadly have to bind in a political union he never wished to have. He can’t spend the rest of his life with someone who wasn’t his life. Merlin was Arthur’s entire existence at this point. That’s what Arthur thinks at times. Maybe, just maybe and oh god Arthur hopes it’s not true otherwise he would kill himself.

**_Maybe merlin and Arthur were just meant to meet and not meant to be._ **

With his mind fogged he moves to get up and sprint and hide away. So he doesn't have to face his fears, so merlin never knows and Arthur stays delusional, so he doesn’t have to get his heartbroken. He can't. He can't say what he wants and ruin what they have. He can't.

With a frustrated sigh he moves to leave but merlin, oh Of course merlin has to do something, has to go neck to neck with him. Merlin shifts suddenly, completely changing his position and lunging into Arthur's arms throwing his own over Arthur's neck and pressing them chest to chest. Arthur's sure he forgets to breath. How does one breathe _? Exhale, inhale_ right? He's very sure he's going to mess this up but merlin, merlin looked so beautiful in his arms. He thought if angels existed this is what they would look like. He wished to keep him forever. No matter how short their forever is supposed to be.

He exhales deeply, gathers up every last bit of courage he has because well, fake it till you make it right? and resumes his previous position, his right hand combing merlin’s hair and left clinging to his thin waist. He buries his nose in the curve of his clothed shoulder and he can feel a shudder from underneath him but passes it off as merlin being merlin. He stays there. Feeling blissful, feeling for in a long time happy and content. That’s what merlin does to him. Makes him feel as if Arthur is enough but at the same time challenges him to be better, less arrogant, more caring, less inconsiderate, more open minded and loving.

“oh merlin, only if you knew”

He breathes out and hugs him impossibly tighter and thinks, thinks of how his life has changed due to merlin. How he wakes to his grin and goes off to sleep to his smile. How, merlin is with him no matter what and how he has been ready to sacrifice himself again and again for Arthur, for Camelot. Merlin forcefully broke down his walls and slithered in, encasing Arthur. He makes him feel human. He makes Arthur feel wanted, not just for kingly business but for who he is and for he should be. Well for him Arthur was never a prince. He was just another person. That's what Arthur liked the most. How he didn't have to worry about titles and class and standards with merlin. For once he could be himself. He could be who he was and merlin would never judge. Merlin, would always help him grow and merlin would be there any hour of the day to comfort Arthur and that is not solely because of his duty as his manservant. Merlin has always considered him as a friend but Arthur is git and he pushed him away because knew, he knew that if they became friends he wouldn’t be able to stop those feelings rising in his heart, he couldn’t keep it platonic and he would ruin their bond. Arthur couldn’t lose merlin, he just didn’t want him, he needed him. He depended on him because if there would be no merlin, there would be no Arthur and Arthur hoped that merlin thought the same. That without Arthur, there would be no merlin.

Merlin would always, always be with him. That's what he desired. To have merlin by his side and be by his forever. To be together. He smiled, a genuine small smile and pressed a light peck to merlin’s hair. Merlin. That's all he ever wishes for now. He thinks, it would be worth it. It would be truly worth it. To wake up, with merlin in his arms and his confused eyes and for once be on the sending end of the goofy grin. He chuckles, puts his chin on his shoulder and drifts off to sleep, knowing no matter what happens, they will be together. 

**Author's Note:**

> Once again thank you so much for reading this. It means the entire world to me!!. and a special thank you to 'ThatOneSmolFangirl' for this idea and 'wantyourbadromance' for this summary. you two really inspire me to write. please leave a kudos and comment, would really appreciate it and constructive criticism is always welcomed. Stay Safe and Happy.


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